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The Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Salutes
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Sports
& Recreation It's a sunny, spring day in Salt Lake and a decision needs to be made. The question is whether to play a round of golf in the valley or head up to the mountains to hit the ski slopes. Sound too good to be true? Not in Salt Lake!
The variety of recreation in Utah is unmatched. From hiking to sailboarding in the summer, to skiing and snowmobiling in the winter, there's something to satisfy everyone. Winter Sports
Skiing the steep and deep attracts national and international visitors from November through April to Utah's top-ranked resorts. Reader surveys conducted by national ski magazines consistently rank the state's ski areas among the best in the country. The "Greatest Snow on Earth," as touted on Utah license plates, falls on seven world-class resorts located along the Wasatch Front, part of the Rocky Mountain Range. Utah's mountains receive more than 500 inches (that's 40-plus feet!) of snow each year. Superior snow conditions were one factor that helped Salt Lake City secure the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Salt Lake is North America's most convenient ski destination. Skiers who leave either the east or west coasts in the morning can be enjoying deep powder snow by noon. Seven ski resorts, three Nordic ski areas and the nation's only recreational ski jumping complex are all within 40 minutes of the Salt Lake City International Airport. Plus, several additional ski resorts are located close by.
Whatever your style, taste or ability, Utah skiing has it all: from gently groomed slopes to helicopter skiing or snowcat skiing in remote canyons. After a day on the slopes, skiers can enjoy relaxing at après ski chalets, bars, clubs or in one of the many local microbreweries. Beyond skiing, snowshoeing is a winter sport that's becoming popular among Wasatch Front residents and visitors. Trails that provide hikers solitude in the summer offer a winter solstice for snowshoers. In preparation for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, new athletic facilities have been constructed that allow the public to partake in nontraditional winter sports like ski jumping and bobsleigh/luge at the Utah Winter Sports Park. In addition, ice skating is open to the public at two Olympic facilities (The Oquirrh Park Oval in Kearns and The Ice Sheet in Ogden) as well as at other facilities. Spectator Sports
Cheering on professional and amateur sports teams is easy when in Salt Lake. The city has received national acclaim for two of its basketball teams: the NBA's Utah Jazz and the University of Utah basketball team, which competed in the 1998 NCAA national championship final game. The Utah Jazz brought Western Conference status to the franchise. During the 1997-98 season, the Utah Jazz went to the NBA Finals for the second time in two years. The Utah Jazz bring millions of dollars to the state each year in media coverage alone. The Delta Center, which seats nearly 20,000 spectators, is home to the Utah Jazz, as well as the Utah Starzz, the WNBA basketball franchise. The center is also used for special events and concerts. The Utah Grizzlies Hockey Club skates on the ice at the state-of-the-art E Center located in West Valley City. The Grizzlies are three-time winners of The Turner Cup. In the summer, the
Salt Lake Stingers
baseball team (AAA Anaheim Angels), play ball at Franklin
Covey Field. The 15,500-seat stadium is located just blocks from downtown Salt Lake City. The newest teams to arrive on Salt Lake's sports scene involve soccer. The Utah Blitzz is an outdoor minor league professional soccer team that kicks off its season in April in a new soccer stadium that is located in West Valley City. The Utah Freezz is an indoor soccer team that plays at the E Center. Collegiate football action is hot during the fall season when teams from Brigham Young University, University of Utah and Utah State University play for die hard Utah fans. Tailgating is a popular pregame activity for fans. The expansion of the Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah was completed in September 1998 and will serve as the site for the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. And finally, The Catzz, part of the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL), began its first season in December of 1997. Recreational Sports
Utah offers an extensive menu of recreational opportunities to enjoy: stamina may be your only limitation! Here are a few ideas to get started.
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Utah is world-renowned for its whitewater rafting on the Green, Colorado and San Juan rivers in the southern part of the state.
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More than 630 species of animals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians make their homes in Utah's diverse habitat, so wildlife watching is a favorite for many.
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Utah's golf courses are famous for their scenery, conditions, variety and low fees. Utah has more golf courses per capita than any other state in the nation. According to the U.S.G.A., Salt Lake has some of the best maintained and most accessible courses in the country. Golf Digest has ranked Salt Lake City as a number one golf city for big cities in the country.
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Over the last several years, cycling opportunities for all abilities have expanded dramatically. There are scenic rides both in the red rock country of southern Utah or in the alpine terrain in the northern part of the state.
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Experience Utah's diverse landscape to its fullest by hiking or backpacking. Try easy walks to clear mountain lakes or more strenuous hikes to pristine wilderness areas.
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Recreation is not limited to land. Utah ranks sixth in the nation in surface acres of boatable waters within its boundaries.
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Inline Skating: The greater Salt Lake area offers
miles of scenic trails for inline skaters, such as the Jordan River Trail. It's a great off-season sport for skiers as well.
Toss into this menu of recreational activities fishing, rock climbing and horseback riding to round out the mix. Then add tours (including dinosaur, rock art and outlaw history tours), historic railroad excursions, covered wagon treks, folklore fests, nature treks and archaeological tours to complete the list. National Parks
There are seven national forests and five national parks within the borders of the state. Seven national monuments, two national recreation areas and one national historic site add to the mix. It's hard to imagine a land with more natural treasures. Within a few hours of Salt Lake City are the following national parks: Arches National
Park; including the famous Delicate Arch, with the largest concentration of natural stone arches in the world; Bryce Canyon National Park with its thousands of delicately-carved spires rise in brilliant color from the amphitheaters of the park; Canyonlands National Park with a view down thousands of feet to the Green and Colorado Rivers or up to red rock pinnacles, cliffs and spires that create unfathomable beauty; Capitol Reef National Park with splashes of color in an inviting wilderness of sandstone formations and cliffs; and Zion National Park, one of the nation's oldest parks, with a quiet grandeur that has been carved over thousands of years by the Virgin River. There are many national monuments, recreation areas, historic sites and state parks (45) that weave a trail of beauty and intrigue throughout the state.
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